Rookie Report Card: Preseason Week 2

Each week throughout the preseason I will grade rookies on a scale of A-F. I will also include their progression, being positive(+) or negative(-). If there is not enough to go on for one week, or a player comes out of nowhere the progression will end up in a neutral category. My grading system will be based off watching all 16 games each week!

Running Backs:

Devonta Freeman, ATL:

Stats: 6 Att for 31 yards, 1 Rec for 11.

Talks of Steven Jackson not making the team hit social media this week. I honestly don’t see this happening as it would have been done already. Although Atlanta has several young running backs that have looked good so far this preseason, Freeman is most certainly one of them. He is a player I am very excited to see get more reps in the third week. I don’t see him vaulting his way into the starting roster quite yet, but I do see the possibility later this season. Keep in mind that Antone Smith might also be worth a second look!

Grade: A Progression: +

Bishop Sankey, TEN:

Stats: 6 Att for 31 yards.

Wow has Sankey’s stock dropped! He really has not looked bad in the preseason and yet I’m seeing him fall into the 5th round of multiple drafts. I’m sorry but if you land this kid in that spot you are going to be happy this year. I looked at his fumble this week and the play was a disaster from the start. The defense was in the backfield the moment the ball was snapped, as a result it was a bad exchange not being Sankey’s fault. Bishop did have several good runs this week showing his ability to bounce it outside. As of now, I am still confident in the first running back selected in this year’s NFL draft!

Grade: B Progression: +

Jeremy Hill, CIN:

Stats: 3 Att for 16 yards, 2 Rec for 13.

It’s funny all we hear this off season is how much the Bengals will run the ball with new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson. They have not shown that to be the case, as A.J. Green and Andy Dalton have looked in mid season form! I think this will be a very balanced offense this year, and I do expect Hill to get plenty of looks. If he does take the Green Ellis role, don’t be surprised if he racks up 200 touches and around 800 yards. Not bad for a guy going in the late rounds of current drafts!

Grade: B Progression: +

Carlos Hyde, SF:

Stats: 4 Att for 11 yards, 1 Rec for 9.

While watching this game I have to note that Frank Gore did not look like an old man. I am starting to think that this will be more of a committee backfield, which will drop both players value. One more thing to look at is how terrible the 49ers defense has been. If this keeps up Kaepernick will be throwing a lot more than we’re use to seeing. I am looking forward to seeing a extended look at both Gore and Hyde this week to better evaluate this situation!

Grade: C Progression: +

Andre Williams, NYG:

Stats: 8 Att for 19 yards.

We might be looking at the worst offense in the league this year in the New York Giants. They look like the perfect team to avoid all together this year in fantasy. Williams has not looked bad so far this preseason, but it is very hard to trust a running back with a surrounding this bad! Unless I see a dramatic change in week 3 I won’t be drafting Williams or any NYG!

Grade: D+ Progression: –

Lache Seastrunk, WAS:

Stats: 7 Att for 35 yards.

There’s not much to talk about when it comes to Seastrunk this week, other than the fact that he is not moving up the depth chart. Probably time we move on from him at this point 😦

Grade: D Progression: –

Terrence West, CLE:

Stats: 8 Att for 31 yards.

Well what do you know, West is receiving his second F and Ben Tate is climbing the rankings! I have said it before, I do not see what all the hype is with this kid. Let someone else grab West and be happy you have Ben Tate in the 5th round!

Grade: F Progression: –

Our neutral category for running backs include: James White, Lorenzo Taliaferro, Juwan Thompson. I will be monitoring all of these running backs closely in the next week to see if they can repeat results or get more playing time.

Wide Receivers:

Jordan Matthews, PHI:

Stats: 9 Rec for 104 yards (on 9 targets).

Hey that’s the Jordan Matthews I was expecting! Wow what a game he had, I truly believe he is the one receiver to target in Philly this season! He lined up all over the field, kind of like DeSean Jackson use to do, and he caught one target after another. Jordan ran pristine routes and showed off his outstanding hands. I admit I was worried last week, but Matthews made up for it in a big way!

Grade: A+ Progression: +

John Brown, AZ:

Stats: 1 Rec for 22 yards.

There’s one name that continues to be called this summer, John Brown. I have not heard one bad thing about this kid, not from a single coach, commentator, or player. He has continued to impress me all off season, and this is a player I want on all my teams. He still is being undrafted in most leagues, so draft him and thank me later!

Grade: A Progression: +

Bradin Cooks, NO:

Stats: 1 Rec for 16 yards.

When you look at this week’s stats you might think a small regression? I don’t see that being the case with Cooks. He was still the second most targeted receiver for the Saints. Although his ADP has crept into the un-draftable range, I see huge upside for him playing in one of most explosive offenses. I’m willing to risk a 8th maybe 7th round pick on his massive potential!

Grade: A Progression: +

Cody Latimer, DEN:

Stats: 1 Rec for 33 yards and a TD.

Well we’re finally adding one of my favorite deep sleepers to this report card! Cody Latimer showed off his skills this week as he made a defender look silly and made a spectacular diving catch for his first NFL touchdown! I think it’s time we start looking at him as a late round flier.

Grade: B+ Progression: +

Mike Evans, TB:

Stats: 2 Rec for 52 yards with 1 fumble.

If Evans could have just held onto the football for one more yard he would have had his first NFL touchdown. He looked much better this week, showing a better understanding of the offense. Although his ADP is not too bad, I could see Evans being a boom or bust play and a major headache this season.

Grade: B Progression: +

Kelvin Benjamin, CAR:

Stats: 2 Rec for 41 yards.

I’m watching the Panther game and can’t help but think Newton does not look good. The time missed by Cam really showed on the field this week, and it could hurt Benjamin’s production this season. They do not have a rapport built, and although I like Kelvin I must see improvements this week.

Grade: C+ Progression: +

Sammy Watkins, BUF:

Stats: Zero due to rib injury.

The moment Watkins was drafted I hated where he was going. Then I watched E.J. Manuel in the preseason and can’t get over his regression as a NFL QB. Watkins this week had a rib injury which to me is just one more reason to stay away from him this year! No way will he be worth a 8th round pick, and he won’t be on any team of mine this year. The Bills could be shaping up to be another team to simply avoid this season.

Grade: F Progression: –

Our neutral category for wide receivers is closed. I will update this if anyone breaks out this week!

He retired from the NFL. He gave away most of his stuff. Now, former Tampa Bay Bucs offensive lineman Joe Hawley is traveling around the country in a tricked-out van, trying to fill the void that football left behind.